Premonition
by LimpBiscuit
Summary: When Ranger is injured, Stephanie discovers something extremely important about her feelings for him. Now, while she aids him in his bedridden state, she'll have to decipher whether or not these new emotions are worth acting on.
1. Prologue

Summary: When Ranger is injured, Stephanie discovers something extremely important about her feelings for him. So, while she aids him in his bedridden state, she'll have to decipher whether or not these new emotions are worth acting on.

Disclamier: You know, I recently sent a message to Janet on her website asking if she ever read any of the JE fanfics on this site and, from her words, it seems as though she's instructed not to by her lawyer. A good way of assuring that no one will sue her in the future about stealing their ideas. So what's the need of the disclaimer?

This is my first story so cut me some slack?! I hope (some) of the fanfiction community likes it!

**

Prologue

**

According to my horoscope, my work and love life weren't of the best quality.

_Keep up with your paperwork. Remember; one missed bill can get really freaky in the long run._

Story of my life.

_The Moon is in your 12th House of Secrets this weekend, which could get tongues wagging about personal matters. It's best to avoid gossip and to be discreet about what you say. You're very likely to enjoy yourself in private settings where you can appreciate the company of an intellectually stimulating individual._

I suppose that it doesn't sound so bad. If you were anyone but _me_, that is.

My name is Stephanie Plum and my life is in the crapper. I have a job as a bond enforcement agent and, I might as well come on out and admit it, I suck at it. It's the worst possible job my cousin could have ever given me. Which would explain the unpaid bills I had collecting on my table. I was lucky enough to be good friends with the building owner and still had a few weeks to pay off one. Of course, that still left me with a billion others.

As for my love life and enjoying private settings; it's a bit too late for that. Because the 'stimulating individual' that is, _was_, my ex-boyfriend and I just broke up. His name was Joe Morelli. One of the best cops around this city with the body, facial features and butt of a God.

And we broke up _because_ of, dare I say, my big stupid mouth and Trenton, New Jersey being so quick at spreading around news. And by 'news' I mean gossip. So much for avoiding it. In a sense, I didn't see why it was such a big deal. Who cares if I spent time with another man? Okay no, that came out wrong. Look, the point is: Morelli was becoming more and more controlling as time passed on and I was sick of it. He should have trust me by now. I trusted him.

Let us not forget the indirect factor in this little equation. The 'other man'. The one who ignited gossip wherever he stepped. I didn't blame him for it. With his dark toned skin, crazily silky hair, great body and amazing smile, Ranger was bound to attract wandering eyes and whispers. And no; Ranger is not his _real_ name. It's actually Ricardo Carlos Manoso. Yeah, I know. Orgasmic pronunciation. He wore nothing but black, was suspected to have the ability to kill people with a glance and spent time in the Army in his younger years hence the nickname he now went by.

It was the same freaking thing day in and day out. Having two very handsome, great, dominant males after me should have been a dream. Sadly however, it had quickly turned into a nightmare. Frighteningly enough, this was a nightmare I had no chance of waking up from.

Unless of course, I shunned one of them out of my life but that was almost impossible. Not because I couldn't physically do it but because they migrated around Trenton far too much and I'd run into them sooner or later.

I had a moment of insanity a few days ago and thought about cutting off communications with the _both_ of them but, almost instantly, I waved that idea off. It was then when I learned that I was pretty dependent on them. Not in a financial way but in an emotional way. I couldn't picture my life without either of them.

Which brought me back to my earlier predicament. It was a never ending cycle. I spent night after night contemplating and morning after morning putting it off. Men shouldn't have been this big of an influence on my happiness damn it!

I threw the newspaper down on the table with a groan and peeked in at Rex, my pet hamster. Rex was probably only male, besides my father, that didn't frustrate me. He demanded three things: Food, water and his wheel. Nothing more. Of course, cleaning up after he soiled himself was a given. Rex was the perfect roommate. I would have married Rex if it wasn't illegal and wouldn't have sent my mother into a cardiac arrest.

With a sigh, I made myself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I wasn't especially giddy about starting my day or my job for that matter. I'd take my good time getting there.

Just as I finished off my sandwich, my phone rung. I glanced down and checked the caller ID. Lula.

Over the last few years, I came to think of Lula as one of my best friends. She was large, black and a former 'ho who now worked for my cousin as well. She never did her job of filing, took risks with clothing sizes and always tagged along with me. Lula was a cool person if not a bit annoying at intervals with her unnecessary commentary.

I answered with a flat, "Hello."

Lula was nervous and stuttering. "Did you hear!?"

I could picture her now; big eyes bugging out, mouth agape. When Lula freaked out, she did it to the extreme.

"Hear what?"

I heard shuffling in the background, a male voice saying something frantically and then Lula came back onto the line and said something that made me freeze with cold fear;

"Ranger was shot!"


	2. Chapter One

**Chapter One**

Normally, I'm pretty good when it comes to dealing with bad news. Probably because my life was a big ball of disaster and bad news prowled around the shadows of my barely existent persona. And although this was true, I never fully got _used_ to it. Yes, I do have my moments of numb indifference to tragedy which it comes to _my_ life.

But this was completely different. This unpleasant turn of events centered around someone else. And that someone else just happened to be one of my closest friends. A man who had helped me through some of my darkest days and was a very large part of my minuscule life, even if I refused to admit it at times.

So you must have imagined how nerve wracking this was and how nervous I felt while I paced impatiently in the waiting room for the results of Ranger's injuries.

Lula was sitting down before me. She had been on the way getting doughnuts and had spotted them wheeling Ranger in. Pure circumstance. She was glancing over magazines at the moment. She wasn't very close to Ranger but she did appreciate his good looks and she also dated his second in command, Tank. Either way, she'd be pretty devastated if worst came to worst. Or, at least, slightly sad.

At the moment, Tank and a few other Rangeman employees shuffled around a few feet away from me.

In a way, the muscle bound, large, tattooed workforce of Ranger's security company 'Rangeman' were my friends. Their appearances were of direct contrast to their actual attitudes. Don't get me wrong. I sure as _hell_ wouldn't want to meet up with them in a dark alley but, deep down, they were all pretty nice and sweet…if they wanted to be.

They didn't seem especially worried. Actually, they looked pretty damn composed as opposed to my hyperventilating, break down that was sure to come. I could understand their reactions. They'd been working for Ranger long enough to have seen all there is to see. They had the utmost confidence in him, his abilities and his speedy recovery. When Tank explained to me what had happened, he said it all with a straight face.

Apparently, while on a job, there had been a set up with some sort of client. Their job had been to clear out any dangerous characters in a run down facility but, when they arrived, they were ambushed. Long story short: Ranger took a stray bullet for one of his men. Now he was sitting in the intensive care unit because of it, awaiting surgery. What happened to the traitor client, you ask? Well, let's just say that the Rangeman crew didn't take too kindly to someone shooting their boss.

Now I know that this sounds pretty far fetched. I mean, who really built traps for people? And who would want to kill off Ranger?

And the answer was_ everyone_. In fact, according to him, his past of full of dark secrets and even darker enemies. Of course, after this little incident, I'm sure he'll be even more protective and invasive of the clients he works for, if such a thing was even possible.

If he pulled through, that is.

My eyes widened and I stomped my foot angrily at my train of thought. When. _When_ he pulled through.

I ran a hand down my face and shook my head. Damn it, Stephanie. This is no time for your pessimistic approach. I needed to stay positive. Ranger _would _make it through this. He always did. He was Batman, after all in a sense of the phrase.

But after a good hour and thirty minutes of waiting, I wasn't so sure anymore. No one was allowed back to see him, none of the nurses knew anything and the receptionist at the desk was a total _bitch_.

"_Listen_," She hissed angrily after I hounded her for more information. "If you don't sit down and shut up, I'll call the police."

My eye twitched and I cracked my knuckles. She was a good three thousand pounds heavier than me but I was guessing she never saw the wrath of a scrawny white girl who was on edge. A second before I pounced however, two strong arms dragged me back and I heard Tank apologize to the lady. She only huffed and turned away. I was twirled around to stare into the bemused eyes of Lester.

"You've got to calm down, Steph."

"Who says I'm not calm! I'm calm!" I pointed around the room. "_I AM CALM_!" I turned to Lula. "I'm calm, right!"

"Girl, your whole body is shaking."

I glanced down for a look and sure enough, it was. It was actually pretty scary to realize. It was as if my body was working on autopilot. I bit my lip to keep from bursting out and tears, fidgeted with my fingers and started to pace again.

"If you keep this up, you might pass out." Tank scooped me up and sat me down in a chair, putting hands on hips. "Just breathe and relax. If Ranger finds out we let you hurt yourself, he'll be pissed."

I smiled shakily at him and his attempt at humor. Although I expected the big guys to be unruffled, I still found their assurance and certainty so amazing. I wish I could have been more like them and less like me right now. What gave them the strength to believe in Ranger so strongly? I was much more emotional and honestly, I didn't want to think of the worst but I just couldn't help worrying. It was in my nature. Especially when it came to him.

I slumped back into the chair and tried to keep myself busy with counting the tiles on the floor. After number five, I gave up and my mind wandered. Unfortunately, it locked onto the topic of Ranger and I sent down memory lane.

Our first meeting hadn't been especially….fun. He wasn't the best at first impressions. He_ was_ the best at being a bond enforcement agent however and that was how our paths crossed. I smiled inwardly. That seemed like a completely different era.

Images flashed in and out of my brain. Ranger giving me a gun, showing me how to shoot it. Ranger helping me with a skip. Ranger unlocking me from my cuffed imprisonment in my bathroom. I laughed softly at the remembrance of my embarrassment. If that happened nowadays; he probably would have been much _friendlier_ and I, more responsive.

Unknowingly, our relationship had progressed so much over the years and it was pretty incredible to think about it now. He had started out as my mentor and ended up as so much more.

Now he was probably lying in some operating room, connected to machines with a bullet in his chest. I closed my eyes and breathed in deep. In the entirely of our time together, I had only ever seen him wounded badly once and it was an experience I hadn't wanted to relive. Words filtered into my mind and a smile spread on my face.

_Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins Does Trenton._

And we weren't finished just yet.

It was then when, with terrifying lucidity, I realized something. Something mind blowing and almost breathtaking.

I loved Ranger. A lot. _A lot, a lot_. I know I said it before but this was…different. It _felt_ different. Because it wasn't the simple fact that I wanted him in my life. It was the understanding that I didn't want to go on without him. I had never felt this way before.

It was a scary concept. It was crazy. There was no second guessing, no guilt over Morelli, nothing. There was just this gut wrenching pain spreading into my chest at the thought of losing him and the painful thought of never seeing him again. If this was what love, _real love_, did to you, I don't think I wanted any part it in.

I came back into reality when the doors to the hall swung open and out stepped a black haired woman dressed in a long, white coat. I watched her sashay to the desk and strike up a quick conversation with the mean spirited receptionist. The _bitch _pointed at me with a frown and the dark haired woman smiled and walked over to me. I instantly jumped up while the others crowded around.

"_You_ must be the one causing such a commotion." She held out her hand and I shook it. "I'm Dr. Yolanda. I heard someone was out here making a big fuss about a newly arrived patient of mines." She winked and I wasn't sure how to respond so I didn't. "Carlos, is it?"

My face brightened and my heart started to beat faster. "How is he?"

"Oh he's fine…." Dr. Yolanda trailed off as soon as her eyes caught sight of the giant men and large black woman lurking around her and her eyes widened in fear.

"They're friends of Carlos too." I waved impatiently. "So…can I see him? Is he okay? Where's he at?"

Dr. Yolanda tried to inconspicuously slide next to me. "Oh, yes, he's fine. The bullet didn't hit any major organs but it did nick an artery and he lost quite a lot of blood. He has stitches in his chest and a cast over his right arm." I stared at her in disbelief. She categorized this as being fine! "But," She started cautiously, noting my look. "It's nothing too serious. I'm sure he'll recuperate just fine. Although, he will need a lot of bed rest. I'll also write him a subscription for pain medication. "She motioned towards the doors. "I'm sure you'd like to go see him, Stephanie."

I blinked. "What…how do you know my name?"

Dr. Yolanda smiled graciously. "He asked for you."

0o0o0o

Leave it to Ranger to completely disregard the fact that he had just gotten shot and should have been resting. Not only was he wide awake, against the doctor's orders, but he was on his laptop for goodness sakes. How and who had gotten it in here; I had no idea. As soon as I laid my eyes on him, I smiled and a sense of relief weighted on my shoulders. It felt like such a heavy liberation I expected my knees to buckle and give out underneath me.

His eyes were narrowed and completely focused on the screen, he was typing with his left hand almost as easily he did with his right and his face was void of emotions. Aside from the cast, the bandages wrapped around his bare chest and the whole atmosphere of the hospital, I wouldn't have believed he was hurt. That was Ranger. Indestructible, stubborn and alert.

He looked so concentrated on the laptop, I smirked and had the bright idea to surprise him. Who knew? Maybe I could actually accomplish it. Besides, I was feeling especially happy at the sight of him. So I started to tip toe towards him slowly, moving silently towards the side to keep out of his peripheral vision. As soon as I got in arms reach of him, I lifted my hands and formed my mouth into the position to scream out, "BOO!"

His eyes suddenly cut to me and I did scream. But in surprise. I stumbled backwards, hit my knee on something hard, probably a desk, and tumbled over.

When the stars ceased dancing before my eyes, I glanced up to see Ranger staring down at me. He had closed his laptop and was a twitch away from breaking out in smile. I shook my head and groaned inwardly, blushing in embarrassment.

"Should I call the doctor back in here?" He was amused at my clumsiness. Jerk. I stuck out my tongue and got to my feet, rubbing at my back.

"You're lucky you're hurt." I sneered, folding my arms across my chest. "Because your tone is just a bit too mocking for my taste."

Ranger only raised his eyebrows slightly.

"By the way," I started, swiping the laptop off his bed. "What's up with this? You're supposed to be resting. Not working."

"I hardly call typing _work_." I set the device on the desk that caused my fall and frowned at him in disapproval. He just stared at me for a moment before saying, "You seem mad."

Against my better judgment, I stuck a finger in his face and opened my mouth but nothing was coming out. I wasn't even sure what I wanted to say. I should be feeling happy but for some strange reason, I wasn't anymore. I was just feeling sad and exasperated. My frown dropped and my shoulders slumped.

"If you ever scare me like that again I'll kill you." His face slowly transformed from amused to surprise. I moved towards him and smiled shakily. "I was…afraid that I'd never see you again." I know it probably wasn't the best time for an emotional break down but I suppose that this was what I needed. This was the reason for my sudden distress. I had way too many emotions bottled up inside me. Ranger seemed too serene and normal. He didn't look like he had just survived a near fatal accident. And it bothered me because _I _was the one feeling vulnerable while he remained impervious.

His face softened and he motioned for me to sit down beside him on the bed with his good hand. I carefully did as told and he swung the cast around my shoulders and let me lean back into his chest without a groan or grunt of pain. I had always liked the feel on his arms around me. Strong, protective, masculine. I heard him sigh and kiss the top of my head.

"You were really worried?" He asked.

"Of course."

"Now you know how I feel when you get into sticky situations."

I huffed but smiled anyway. He had a point. I still frowned at him though which he returned with a smile. I lightly slapped his shoulder. "Just don't do it again."

"I wouldn't dream of it."

Then I snuggled into him, laid my head in the crook of his neck and, soon enough, fatigue overpowered us and we were out.

0o0o0o0o0o0

"Voila!" I exclaimed, motioning ceremoniously. "Do you like it?"

Ranger stared at his newly decorated living room for a beat before saying, "You redecorated." He didn't sound the least bit happy. Actually, he sounded pretty pissed.

I frowned in disappointment. Great. Maybe bejeweling his home wasn't the_ best_ welcome back present. I should have just gone with what the Rangeman guys said about the party. But it had given me something to _do_ while he was in the hospital besides visiting him, worrying about him and warding off Dr. Yolanda who had suddenly become a bit too touchy feely. And, to add on to my jealousy, it seemed as though every freaking female in all of Trenton sent the man flowers and suggestive letters. Why does this bother me so much, you ask?

Well because, ladies and gentlemen, whilst Ranger laid in bed receiving 'friendly' visits from his doctor and random women, I had made a decision. You could even call it a choice.

I was going to tell Ranger I wanted a relationship. With him.

I know, I know. I nearly faint every time I think about it but I had thought about it hard and it was high time I went after what I wanted, took chances, all that good stuff. Joe Morelli and I were officially, off for _good_.

Of course, Lady Freida from the magical land of love gurus had played a big roll in my decision as well. Lula had convinced me to call her and I had been pretty skeptical at first but the lady actually spoke some sense. Then again, she sounded doped up and I'm not sure that her agreeing with everything I said was good advice but I thought of it as insightful.

Still, the whole thing made me nervous as hell. Ranger had implied numerous times in the past that he wasn't a man of relationships and it was one of the main reasons I had kept running back to Joe. But old Stephanie was gone and new, brave Stephanie had arisen. The revelation I had in the waiting room a few days ago had made me see things in a new light. If you loved someone enough than it should conquer everything else, right?

I hoped so. I also hoped that Ranger felt the same way as I did. It was one thing for his past to interfere with our relationship but if he turned me down, I'd feel like a giant idiot.

So, here I was. I had convinced Ella to help me buy some colorful drapes, swamped out his couch for something cheerier (_brighter)_ and hung a few paintings around. In actuality, I guess it wasn't a big difference but it was diverse enough to be surprising. I watched Ranger's mouth twitch and wondered if he wanted to smile or frown. I suspected that if he could stand up from the wheelchair, he'd strangle me.

I smirked inwardly. This whole assignment hadn't_ just_ been an objective to lighten up his house. It was a test…sort of. To see how he reacted to change, I suppose. A way to see if he could welcome it. Because we all know that if we started dating, everything would change drastically.

"It's…new."

"And?"

"It's…pretty?"

I frowned. "But do you like it?"

"I don't…_dislike_ it."

I hung my head and held back a sigh. He hated it. Great. "I'm sorry…"

"No, no….it's…uh…it's something." He strained out. I looked down at him and saw that he was trying to stifle a laugh. I slapped him on his head. "I'm still injured you know."

"Tough luck." I figured that him being injured was the reason why I had struck him. There was no way I would hit him if he was capable of attacking back. Ranger's cell phone rang but I snatched it away before he could answer it. "No work stuff! Do you remember what doctor whore said? You're to say in bed until you get better."

"Dr. Whore?"

"She tried to touch you at every moment."

"She was checking my stitches."

"I'm sorry, I don't remember you having stitches on your _THIGHS_."

Ranger grinned. Ugh. Men. "You were jealous."

I frowned. Psh. Nuh uh. Okay so maybe she was a breast cup larger than me, her hair was shinier and she had perfect teeth but that didn't mean I was-Oh hell, who cares anyway? "Whatever. You still aren't getting your phone back."

"What if I get a personal call?"

I blinked at him in disbelief. "You get personal calls?"

"I might some day."

"No phone."

He actually looked pained. "Babe, I can't stay in bed and do nothing all day. I'll go insane."

"Well…I'll be here to help you with anything you need." I smiled. Part two of the plan. I had this whole notion in my head about romance and asking certain things in a certain mood. Love Goddess Cinderalla112 put this idea in my head off of a site I visited. According to her, dinner and a movie were the most classic signs of romance. She also informed that settings were everything. So, if I was to ask Ranger the infamous, intimidating question, I'd have to make it as dreamy as I could under the circumstances. Caring for him in his time of need would be the best route to go.

A wolfish smirk spread over his face and he used his good arm to yank me down to stare into my eyes. "You'll help me with _anything_ I need?"

I froze. Yes, that's right. I had the perfect opportunity to retort with something flirtatious and just totally froze up. He leaned in to me and I braced myself for a kiss but, instead, he snaked his arm around to grab his phone. I blinked in confusion and then narrowed my eyes at his devilishly handsome smile. "Asshole." I muttered.

He waved it before my face and when I went to snatch it again, he moved it out of the way. "You love me."

My eye twitched. Yeah, I did. That was the frustrating part. His phone rung again and he checked the caller ID.

"It's Dr. Yolanda."

I glared. "Answer it and you'll be seeing her again _real soon_."

He smiled but stuck it back into his pocket while it continued to ring, against daring to challenge me.

**THE END!**

**Haha, just kidding. Did this chapter surprise you? ^_^ More to come! Thanks so much for the reviews by the way!**


	3. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

It was all set up.

After promising that I'd change the living room back, I had wheeled him into his room.

Ranger was lying in bed now. His legs were stretched out in front of him, his head was resting on his pillow, his pain pills were within reach, his cast covered arm was elevated slightly and he looked pretty comfortable. I spent a few minutes lighting candles around the room and, after searching for a stereo and then remembering that he was against all things fun, I opted with humming a romantic song in my head while I turned and walked to his bedside.

I rubbed my hands together. Here it was. I'd ask him now.

"Ranger, I want a relationship."

Silence.

I squinted at his figure. Maybe he hadn't heard me. "Ranger, I want a_ relationship_."

Still no answer.

I started to get nervous. Maybe I had been too forceful. "Please?"

Nothing.

I peered down at his face to see what was- My eyes widened. He was asleep! Damn it. He was tired already! I frowned. Stupid pills and their strong effect. I was just about to flick on the lights when I heard the sheets wrinkle.

"Stephanie?" He asked groggily, glancing around. "What's with the candles?"

I smiled and spun back around. "I wanted to ask you-" His phone ringing interrupted me and my shoulders slumped. "Ranger, I kinda wanted to ask you-"

"Can you turn the light on? I can't see who's calling."

I clenched my teeth. "Fine." I hissed, flicking the light switch up. While he answered whatever call was more important than speaking with me, I stood there with hands on hips, tapping my foot. I knew that damn thing would be trouble. I'd have to get it away from him again somehow. He flipped it closed after a few minutes and I immediately jumped on the chance to talk again. "Listen, I want to ask...uh..or tell you something."

"I've got a question for you too." I saw him smirk. "How's Morelli feel about this whole arrangement?"

The mood passed.

I narrowed my eyes dangerously at him, blew out all the candles and began to stomp out. He just HAD to bring Joe into this! He just HAD to mention him! I heard him ask me what was the matter but I didn't answer. I just stormed out, slamming the door on the way.

0o0o0o0o0o

"So? How'd it go?"

I gave Tank a glare and he blinked. I had the bright idea to tell Lula about what I planned and, whatever I told her, ultimately got back to the giant man. I was standing outside of the compound, in the parking lot, leaned against the building and Tank had popped his head around the corner only to meet my wrath.

"Your boss is a jackass."

"He said no, didn't he?"

I don't know what was more insulting. Tank not being the least bit surprised about the claimed statement or Ranger's earlier blatant indifference concerning me. "No." I strained out angrily. "He didn't say no. He didn't even give me a chance to talk! Just him and that damn phone. And then he had the nerve to bring Joe into it."

"Can you blame him?" I most certainly could. "I mean, you did date the guy for a while."

"Yeah but we're done now"

"Does Ranger know that?"

I thought about it. It should have been _obvious_. I wouldn't have offered to stay here if I still was dating Joe. As a matter of fact, my whole damn attitude should have taken Ranger by surprise. I wasn't the shy, coward of a woman I had been a few days ago. I was much more bold and confident. Or so I believed. "I didn't think I'd have to tell him."

Tank shrugged. "Every guy, no matter who or what they are, worries about an ex."

I gave him a questioning stare. "Do you worry about Lula's exes?"

"No." He stated seriously. "I've killed them all." Then he turned on his heel and walked away.

I watched him go with a shaky smile. I was only thirty five percent sure he was joking.

My mom called as soon as I stepped out of the elevator onto the seventh floor of the Rangeman building. "How's Ranger dear? Are you coming for dinner? You should invite him! It'd be fun!" Yadda...yadda...yadda...

I told her he was fine, that he couldn't move from bed and that I was sorry but I'd be staying in with him because I promised I'd take care of him. She said she understood, wished him well and that was that. Lula called me two steps after that, asking how it went. I told her I hadn't asked him yet, listened to her call me a scary cat and said I had to go.

Then, _for pete's sake_, Joe called. I put a hand to my eye to stop the twitch, put my phone on vibrate and marched back through the doors, pass the kitchen and into Ranger's bedroom.

"Ranger!" I shouted with conviction, putting hands on hips and closing my eyes. "I've got something to ask you and I'm going to ask you now!"

I waited for his response but all I got was light snoring.

He was sleeping again.

With a few choice curse words, a stomp of my foot and a scream, I exited with a red face. WHY! Why was it so hard to do this now! Was it the Gods! Were the Gods punishing me? Did they NOT want us to get together! WHAT!

I blew out a sigh and called Tank up to ask him if he'd bring Rex over. I'd be staying for a few days to 'look after' Ranger. Tank complied and I swear I could hear the amusement in his voice before he hung up.

A minute later, Connie called me. I thought about throwing the phone out the window, thought better of it and answered.

Vinnie was hounding her to hound me about picking up skips. Figures. I told her I'd be over there soon and hung up. Ranger was still sleeping when I peeked into his room so I wrote him a note that said I was going to work and to call me if he needed anything and then I was off.

"Did you ask him!"

I sighed heavily. Lula had told Connie, apparently. They were on me as soon as I walked through.

"Not yet." Before they could argue, I quickly changed the subject. "Uh...what FTAs need capturing?"

Connie waved that off. "Oh, none actually. That was just a ploy to get you here so I could get the scoop." She grabbed me by my arm and got into my face. "How could you didn't tell me you were going to start dating Ranger!"

Exasperation took over and my eye started to twitch dramatically. Ten minutes into the womens' clamoring about how Ranger and I would make such a 'fabulous couple', I thought I might have a heart attack and die.

Ironically, my phone didn't ring again, leaving me to suffer through their gossip.


	4. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

_You can stir up your own emotions today by imagining what people aren't telling you. Your fears are magnified if they say little or nothing, yet it could be your own shyness that makes others act similarly. Instead of showing your curiosity by asking a lot of questions, take a risk and share a bit about your own personal history. Your self-disclosure can be just the catalyst necessary to get the conversation moving again._

My horoscope had the right idea. After my uneventful day yesterday and the missed communication attempt with Ranger, I should take it slow, talk casually and than gradually work towards my oh so dread question. By the way, yes; I did depend on my horoscope quite often. Sue me!

I jumped up from my spot on Ranger's couch, the old one that is...not the bright one he hated and made me get rid of...and peeked in on him. He had slept the rest of yesterday which had left me angry. When he wasn't sleeping, he was on the phone. With their boss out of commission, the Rangeman employees tried their best to keep it all secure and locked down. Of course, they verified everything with him before they ever DID anything though. I was fed up with it. That phone needed to go.

I tip toed towards the bed, hovered over him for a minute to watch his sleeping face and then reached out slowly for the phone lying by the pills.

"Cheater."

I yelped and spun around to see Ranger smirking at me. In a few seconds, the phone was in his hands. I sighed in defeat. "Stop being so stubborn!"

"Babe, using the phone won't over exert me."

Yeah well...it'll make _me_ nuts! "Whatever." I smiled slowly and tried to be seductive while I slid in beside him. "It's morning now. What do you want for breakfast?"

He wasn't answering. Probably because his eyes were focused on my legs. "Where'd you get the outfit from?"

"Oh this?" I feigned nonchalance, waving my hands. "Just something I had lying in my closet." HA! Yeah, right. The only thing I had lying in my closet was flannel shirts, Tees and jeans. There was no way a shiny, tight, dark red dress like this would be caught in my closet. This was a result of Lula's ideas. After her and Connie silenced, she had taken me shopping. In her mind, short dresses were the epitome of what men vied for. Or, at least, that was what Tank liked.

And, from the look on Ranger's face, I suspected he liked it as well. "Where'd you sleep last night?" He sounded breathless.

"On the couch."

"You're staying here?"

"Until you get better."

He looked like he wanted to rip my clothes off and I liked it. Too bad he couldn't. I saw his left arm twitch. Or maybe he could...I swiftly got to my feet to distance myself. I didn't want him to do that..._yet_. More so because I didn't want him to hurt himself with the extra effort since I knew I wouldn't be able to stop him if he started.

"You could sleep in the bed if you want."

RIGHT. If I did that, I know where it'd end up. Not only was I concerned for his health but I didn't want to do..._that_ until I asked him the 'question' that I had recently named _The Big Q_.

"Pass." I smiled at his almost non existent frown. HAH. Serves him right. Now he knew how I felt being blown off..."So," I started, leaning down to expose my not so concealed cleavage that was popping out of this dress. Man, was it small. "What did you want for breakfast, again?"

"Breast." He answered almost automatically, eyes on my chest. He instantly caught himself, shook his head and said, "Whatever you want to fix." Then he paused and stared at me for a beat, obviously remembering something. "When did you learn how to cook?"

I didn't. But that didn't mean I couldn't learn. "I took lessons."

"When?"

"A long time ago."

He didn't look like he believed me. I didn't blame him. I had convinced Ella to leave the caretaking to me which means; I'd have to feed him, provide clothes, dress...him...I paused and furrowed my eyebrows. Holy shit, I'd have to dress him? And BATHE HIM, right? Because bathing came before dressing!

"You look afraid."

I bit my lip. Not afraid no...but nervous. Very nervous. I had only saw Ranger's fully naked once before and that was when we had a one night stand. Wait, I didn't tell you about that yet, did I? Yeah well, it was a long time ago. Ages. Centuries. When I was staying in his house because of other complications. It had been initiated over payback but I knew that it was bound to happen sooner or later. Ranger was irresistible. Simple as that.

And his body was just as amazing. Which was why I was nervous. I'd have to...touch...him. I felt my heartbeat speed up. Oh man...I might explode into flames.

"So how about I just let Ella cook!" I didn't think I could fix anything with my hands shaking. Besides, I had lied. I had taken no cooking classes. He raised one eyebrow. "I'll be right back!"

Then I scurried out of there with my tail between my legs.

0o0o0o0o

I peered at the 'breakfast' Ella had cooked up after I tracked her down and asked her. She was a nice woman but I suspected she hated me. I couldn't really blame her...I did bug her nonstop.

Either way, the food lying on the plate infront of me could NOT be considered food. Coffee with no cream, sliced fruit and berries, lox, cream cheese, and sliced bagels. What was he supposed to do with this? Yeah, that was the thing about Ranger...no taste in food.

I was a few feet away from his bedroom when the doorbell rang.

I froze and whirled around. First things first: He had a doorbell! And second; who the hell visited him? I sat the plate down and went to answer it, thinking it was Ella.

It wasn't Ella.

It was Lula.

My eyes bugged out. "What are you doing here!"

"I came to give moral support." She eyed me. "Wearing the dress huh?"

"How did you-" I stopped abruptly and hit my head with the hell of my hand. Tank. Tank gave her directions. "Look Lula, you can't-"

"Whoa! This is where Batman lives!" She managed to push me out of the way, march into the living room and search around. "It's all Fung Fay"

"What!"

"You know...Fung Fay. Nice, comfortable-"

"You mean Feng shui?"

"Same thing."

I rolled my eyes and grabbed her arm. "You have to go." She opened her mouth to protest and I interrupted. "If Ranger catches you here, you're dead."

Lula snorted. "He can't kill me. He can't even walk."

"He has guns."

The woman seemed to consider that but shrugged it off. "He wouldn't kill his best friend's fiance, would he?"

"Yes! He-" I stopped, furrowed my eyebrows and glanced at her. "Fiance? You guys are engaged?" I didn't add in the word: AGAIN? Their last 'engagement' had been the downfall to their relationship. Probably because Tank hadn't REALLY proposed and Lula had imagined the whole thing in her mind. But, now that they were back together, I thought she'd want to take it slow.

Apparently not.

"He asked me." She showed off her finger and that's when I saw it. My eyes widened. HOLY SHIT. That was a real ring! "Lets go tell Ranger the news."

"NO!" I exclaimed loudly, jumping her path. "Lets not! Lets get you out of here. Tank should be downstairs. Go hang with him."

"He had to go somewhere." Lula frowned. "You know, he's like the new boss since the real boss is MIA."

"MIA means Missing in Action."

"Really?"

I groaned and then jumped when Ranger called my name. I made a signal to Lula that meant: _SHUT UP_ and poked my head into his room, smiling too forcibly. "Yeah?"

"Is somewhere else out there?"

"NO! Of course not." I laughed dumbly. "Who would be out here?"

"It sounded like Lula."

I bit my lip and watched his eyebrows raised slightly. He could see past my lies. "Lula's with Tank!" I blurted out dumbly.

"Tank's handling a client."

DAMN IT. I glanced up at the ceiling. "Whoa, what's that!" When he glanced up, I ducked out and sprinted back to-I halted when I got back to the living room. Where the hell was Lula? I backtracked to the kitchen and spotted her feeding Rex celery.

"This kitchen is great. If only he had real food around."

Although I wanted to agree, I didn't. Instead, I motioned her towards me. "OUT!" I whispered angrily.

"You're real jumpy you know that?" She pushed past me and spotted the door leading to his room. "That where he is?" She had suddenly started whispering. Guess she wasn't as bold as she appeared.

I shook my head violently but it was an empty lie. Where else could he be?

Lula wiggled her eyebrows. "Is he naked?"

"NO!"

"Well, why not? Does he at least have his shirt off?" She didn't wait for me to answer. "And did you ask The Big Q yet?"

"_No_ because _you're_ here." I spat out through clenched teeth.

"I just wanted to help."

"You can help by getting out." I didn't wait for her to reply or comply. I just swiped the plate off of the desk and waltzed back into his room. Ranger looked damn near dead. He was still staring at the ceiling and from the way his mouth moved, I suspected he was counting the cracks and crevasses. I felt for him. Lying in bed was boring.

He glanced at me when I set the plate on the desk. "Yummy." I thought he was being sarcastic until I saw that he wasn't looking at the food but at my butt. Before I knew it, he had grabbed me with his left arm and swung me onto his lap. I sat dazed for a minute. "A birdie told me you were done with Morelli." I heard him say into my ear. A birdie? Tank birdie?

I didn't dwell on who the birdie was because his cast arm held me in place, his left hand was running up my dress and he was trailing kisses down my neck. I was all ready to melt and rip hs clothes off when the door opened and in stepped Lula.

DAMN LULA.

"Hey, is-Oh." She grinned. "I'm interrupting something aren't I?" Then she winked at me and slid out.

I slowly turned to smile sheepishly at Ranger who was staring at me. "Why is she here?"

I blinked and panicked because there was no reasonable explanation for that. I pointed at the ceiling again. "LOOK!" And even though he didn't look, I jumped up and ran out.

DAMN LULA.


	5. Chapter Four

**Chapter Four**

After kicking Lula out, I slid back to the bedroom and found Ranger trying to lift himself out of bed.

"Hey!" I sighed in exasperation, walking over to him. "You aren't suppose to be up."

He stared at me for a beat. "I have to use the bathroom."

My face flushed and I smiled nervously. I hadn't thought about that. Would I have to help him? I swallowed hard, suddenly feeling very, very hot underneath this shiny, red dress. Ranger must have noticed because the corners of his lips twitched into a devious smile.

"If you can just help me to the bathroom, I can handle the rest." So I helped him to his feet and let him lean on me while I hauled him across the room.

"So, why was Lula here again?"

I gulped, laughed weakly. "Just...visiting?"

"Babe."

"It doesn't matter now. I sent her home."

He gave me a look but I only shrugged in return. I stopped at the door leading to the bathroom, watched him wobble in and shut it.

Five minutes later, he emerged with a weird look on his face. His zipper was undone, his shirt was askew, half off of his chest, bunched at the cast on his arm, his hair was all over the place. He had set his jaw in a straight line. He finally glanced at me and I actually think he sighed. "I was going to take a shower." He started, voice uncharacteristically small, head bent towards the floor. "But I can't...get my clothes off."

I tried not to giggle but it came out. Ranger's hard stare quickly silenced me however. I bit my lip to keep from smiling. It was rare to see Ranger in such a state. He was virtually helpless, could barely do simple things and he was embarrassed by it. I felt bad for him but he was so adorable.

"Adorable?" Ranger repeated, looking pained. "This is ruining my image, isn't it?"

I smiled, reached out and carefully slipped his shirt over the cast. "Everybody needs a little help sometimes."

He looked at me for a moment before glancing down. "I can unzip them but I can't pull them down." He was talking about his pants, I realized.

I was suddenly very aware that I was going to be undressing Ranger. _Undressing him!_ I licked my lips nervously, starting wringing me hands. I tried to keep my eyes off of his bare chest but they wandered and I caught glimpses of raw, sinewy muscle under bronze skin. I had seen Ranger naked before. When he had taken me to bed one night. And, might I say, that his body was W.O.W. I hadn't seen it recently but I knew it would evoke all those emotions and feelings I had felt that night. Because, when I tell you Ranger is a sexual deviant underneath the sheets, I am not exaggerating.

"Babe?"

I cut my eyes to him.

"You okay? You started mumbling and shaking your head and I think you were moaning."

I shook myself to clear it and did a big grin. 'I'm fine!" I exclaimed, too enthusiastically, too loud. "Now lets get these pants off of you!" Then I hooked my thumbs in the waistbands of his jeans and tugged down.

I froze.

Ranger was standing before me, in all his glory. He might have had a cast on his arm, broken ribs and a scar on his leg, but he was still absolutely gorgeous. He was smiling, a full on smile that barely ever lit up his face. His jeans were puddled at his feet and he gracefully stepped out of them. "See something you like?"

I opened my mouth, let out a croak. My cheeks burned. I tried to backpedal out of the room but he suddenly had his hand on the door, barring my exit. He hovered over me and I keep my gaze on his face. "Could you turn on the shower for me?"

His lips were curved and his hair was falling across his face. I nodded slowly and went to turn the knob in the shower. The water sprang to life and I was just about to barge out of the room and run for my life when he came up behind me. I felt something jerk against my thigh. "Was that your hand?"

"No."

My heart started to beat erratically. "Uh...yeah...so I gotta go..."

"Go where?"

"To work."

"And?"

"Well...you're kinda in my way."

He was much more than just in my way, he was damn near on top of me. I felt his good arm circle around my waist and he bent down to whisper in my ear. "Want to know a secret?"

"What?" I breathed, relatively sure that my nipples could be seen through the sheer material of the dress. My mind was all muddled. Heat was spreading in certain places, I could smell his wonderful shower gel.

His hand moved downwards and slipped under my dress, caressing my thighs. "I lied. I was perfectly capable of getting my clothes off."

Suddenly, I was wet. And not just in my panties. Ranger had lifted me up, balancing me on his legs, holding me against the shower wall. Water splayed across my hair, down my chest. I felt his mouth come over mine and I ran my hands over his soaked shoulders.

Then the phone rang.

He had been planting kisses along my neck and froze, glancing up at me. "Ignore it."

"It could be an emergency."

"Doubt it."

"Water is going under your cast. You're suppose to have something covering it."

"Doesn't bother me."

"What about your ribs?"

"I'm fine."

"Ranger!"

With a long look, Ranger reluctantly set me down on my feet, turned off the water and stepped out. He located his cell phone, which had been in the pocket of his pants on the bathroom floor, and answered with a curt, "Talk." I tried to sneak out while he spoke to whomever was on the other line but he grabbed hold of my wrist. His dark eyes never left my face. "Where at?" Silence. "How much?" More silence, listening. "Got it." Disconnected.

"Everything okay?" I asked, noticing he had an expression on his face that was edging towards annoyed. I could see that he was slightly bent over and a flicker of pain flashed across his face. He had been fronting, I realized suddenly, His ribs _were_ giving him trouble. He hadn't been holding onto me to keep me here. He was leaning on me for support.

"We need to go get Lula and Lester." Ranger told me. "They're in jail."

Oh boy.

0o0o

**Sorry for taking so long to update. This chapter is kind of short but I still hope you all enjoy! I'll try to get the next one out real soon! Please give me some feedback! Thanks, love ya guys.**


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